Junior Springboks thrash Scotland in World Rugby U20 Championship to finish group stage with a flurry

There is no stopping the Junior Springbok juggernaut in the World Rugby U20 Championship in Italy.

South Africa romped their way to another rousing victory on Wednesday, defeating Scotland 73-14 to equal the points tally they achieved in dispatching Australia in the opening round of the tournament.

The win brought 11 outstanding tries with winger Jaco Williams bagging a brace alongside scrumhalf Ceano Everson. Williams’ first five-pointer opened the try-scoring fest of the South African U20s and his second, in the 16th minute, brought the bonus point before the first quarter of the match ended.

Scotland didn’t really see any of the possession in the first half and they were trapped in their half by the physicality of the Junior Springbok forwards, while the backs of the unbeaten side ran rampant even from their own half at times.

Williams was brilliant and his first try saw some great individual skill, running for 80 metres from his 22 m area to score a solo try. The five-pointers by captain Thando Biyela and prop Oliver Reid came from the forwards, so it was a good all-round game that SA coach Kevin Foote will be happy about.

After leading 45-7 at halftime, having scored seven of the 11 tries, the Junior Boks were made to defend by the Scots who came out firing in the second half on defence. They had a player in the sin bin and the South Africans struggled to get past 14 players. Eventually after 20 minutes of play in the second forty, the dam wall broke again.

The Junior Boks turned on the magic with their offload game between the backs and forwards. They scored four more tries, the last one another breakaway try by replacement scrumhalf Haashim Pead. Pead extended his try-scoring feat in the competition to five after scoring four tries (two in each) in the previous matches.

Foote gave his fringe players a good run as they brace for the playoffs and the side laid another strong foundation with the comprehensive victory. Flyhalf Vusi Moyo gingerly jogged off in the first half after barely 25 minutes of play. Although the injury did not look too serious, Foote will hope that his star flyhalf is ready for the crucial playoff match.

Points scorers

Junior Springboks 73 (45): Tries: Jaco Williams (2), Ceano Everson (2), Thando Biyela, Dominic Malgas, Oliver Reid, Gilermo Mentoe, JD Erasmus, Fano Linde, Hassiem Pead. Conversions: Vusi Moyo (4), Ian van der Merwe (5). Scotland 14 (7): Tries: Seb Stephen, Oliver Finlayson-Russell. Conversions: Matthew Urwin, Jack Brown.